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May 1, 2008, 8:27 AM - SgtFang's new MH: getting rid of those bumps caused by air pockets. (pic intensive)#1

First off, this isn't a tutorial (I suck at using a dremel) but more of just a log of my progress. Please give me some constructive criticism, I'd like to know how well my work stacks up to everybody else's standards.

Secondly, Sarge's helmet is amazing, but as he stated up front, there are a few minor imperfections; the bumps from the air bubbles.

Thirdly, please excuse the crappy quality of the pictures. My digital camera has a cracked screen so I can't see what exactly I'm trying to take a picture of. I just point it in the general direction of what I'm trying to capture and hope the pic turns out focused. Also the date is wrong, every time I take out the batteries the clock resets itself, and I can't see the menu on the screen to change it since it's cracked. So just ignore the two year old date on all the pics.

First and foremost: saftey first. Don't want annoying chips of resin flying up in your eyes, and don't want to choke inhaling all that dust.

In this pic i cut out the visor, and held it up in the hole, just holding it where it was once attached.

In this pic you can see that nasty bump on the left mandible, (as well as my goofy dog).

In the next pic you may (or may not) be able to make out the raised bumps on the lower cheeks along the bottom edge. While not horrible, the more I looked at them the more they bothered me.
Another left cheek angle.

Here's the right cheek.

Here's the left cheek after sanding with the dremel.

Now, in this shot, you can see how much better it looked once I sanded it by hand with a high grit piece of sandpaper. Notice the absence of that bump on the mandible shown in an earlier pic. (Ignore the right cheek; I had to go back and do more work on that side.)

The bottom tip of the mandibles weren't perfectly symmetrical either. Before:
After (not a good pic, I know, but it DOES look better):

In these next two pics, I was unhappy with where the RF stalk would sit in place. I wanted to insure that when it was up, it was completely vertical. And when down, absolutely horizontal and parallel with the top line of the t-visor.

Now, after some sanding. Much better.

And now the ear pieces. Just a tiny bit of sanding needed.

Finally, once all that was done, I taped in the visor just as a temporary placeholder to see how it looked when I wore the helmet. Not bad.

With all that said and done, I'd like to know what everybody thinks of the work I've done. Don't be afraid to offend, it IS my first helmet and I'm no expert, after all.

Thanks!

-Pete

EDIT: Completely forgot to mention the keyholes on the back. The dremel I was using is old, and while it still works, I couldn't get the bit off to replace it with a cutting disc. It's pretty much FUBAR now. So in the meantime, the slots are still filled in. I might invest in another dremel, or just be cheap and drill them out (carefully!) with a tiny drill bit. Dunno yet.

great job pete!! thanks for doing this...i was kind of apprehensive about sanding, but you did awesome...i need to get busy with mine, so we can race!! no, dont race....sllllllooooooooowww.... anyways...keep up the good work, man!!

Get some small files. Do the drill tech and then square the slots up with the files. I found a very nice set of small files at a flea market. I think i paid $2.00
The dremel is a great tool,but if this is your first helmet then go slow and be careful.

Get some small files. Do the drill tech and then square the slots up with the files. I found a very nice set of small files at a flea market. I think i paid $2.00
The dremel is a great tool,but if this is your first helmet then go slow and be careful.

Oh thanks, I didn't think of using files. I sure my dad has some in his tool shed somewheres.
And yeah, I'm definitely taking my sweet time. I'd hate to mess up this beautiful helmet. It'd be a crying shame if I ruined a $120 work of art.

It is fiber-glassed on the inside, has a metal BKBT rf stalk, a acrylic piece from *(EDIT) SingleSeat's* run.

I did a few mods to get the right ear-cap to look right, I also made it a 2 piece part, it also "slides" on to the RF stalk, bt way of a piece of sheet metal bracket.
I also did work on the cheeks to have them look correct , and not round, like it was originally cast.

Everything was done topically, the kill stripes, ear cap details are all painted on, except the one WHITE curve detail on the right ear-cap! It is a vinyl decal, I didn't want tape to pull off the BLACK paint.
The rf top was scratch built to fit the acrylic piece.
It has a green shade 5 t-visor which is just held in place w/ hot glue.

One more thing tho, I completely KILLED the left and right corners of the T hole where the visor sits in. That was the first thing I ever cut with a dremel, so I didn't do too great of a job.
You can't see from the pics, but it is actually very sloppy. I'll try to get some pics of them later.
Does anybody have any good suggestions on how to go about fixing them up nice and neat, using some kind of filler or something?

Does anybody have any good suggestions on how to go about fixing them up nice and neat, using some kind of filler or something?

plumber's epoxy putty!

you can find it at your favorite hardware megastore. at home depot they have it in 2 places. the adhesives section has a nicely packaged, small, overpriced version. the plumbing supplies aisle has a larger tube for about the same $$, but no carded blister pack to throw away.

you cut a little off, mix it together (it's a white layer wrapped around a dark grey core. mix until it's all 1 color)

you can then shape it however you need to. it cures to steel-hard in about 5 minutes, so only mix a little. once it's cured you can sand and file it.

it bonds to just about anything, and it's easily workable. i find it way easier to use for stuff like that then bondo.

you can find it at your favorite hardware megastore. at home depot they have it in 2 places. the adhesives section has a nicely packaged, small, overpriced version. the plumbing supplies aisle has a larger tube for about the same $$, but no carded blister pack to throw away.

you cut a little off, mix it together (it's a white layer wrapped around a dark grey core. mix until it's all 1 color)

you can then shape it however you need to. it cures to steel-hard in about 5 minutes, so only mix a little. once it's cured you can sand and file it.

it bonds to just about anything, and it's easily workable. i find it way easier to use for stuff like that then bondo.

Great start bruv... I was worried about the Front of the mandibles and lower cheeks but you've done a stand up job! you should be well chuffed!

As Brian says putty is probably better in this instance (without seeing pics) then file with small set of needle files till the correct shape is required.

Now get those key slots cut out and start painting!

Thanks man, I really appreciate all the great feedback you guys are giving.
The little bumps are no problem to fix, so no need to worry. You just gotta take your time and be careful and it turns out great.

Need to cut out the key slots, but I'll have to get a new dremel I think. The bit in right now is STUCK. and nothing i do will get it out. Might have to bang it around or just break it off. Probably wont turn out good, I'd be better off just buying a new one I think.